COLUMBUS — Ohio State’s big-game blues have seeped into the Big Ten.
A winner in pretty much every pivotal conference matchup since Jim Tressel took over as head coach, the Buckeyes were a loser Saturday night in the most unlikely of places.
No. 3 Penn State 13, No. 10 Ohio State 6 — at Ohio Stadium.
A stadium-record Homecoming crowd of 105,711 fans took in what was anticipated as a big-game statement from the Buckeyes, who have been resoundingly bashed throughout the country for poor performances in the last two national title games and a huge early season showdown with USC.
Instead, a loss to a highly ranked but unheralded Penn State team will serve as more fodder for the critics, which will now include members of OSU’s own conference.
“This is a tough loss,” Buckeye coach Jim Tressel said. “Most of the ones like this are the ones that you remember.”
The Nittany Lions sure will.
Penn State, which has won just two Big Ten titles (1994, 2005 shared with OSU) since joining the conference in 1993, has a clear path to another one and a possible BCS Championship Game appearance, with just Iowa, Indiana and Michigan State remaining on the schedule.
With legendary coach Joe Paterno still recovering from knee surgery and relegated to the press box again, the Nittany Lions (9-0, 5-0 Big Ten) won for the first time in its last eight trips to Columbus.
Meanwhile, the Buckeyes (7-2, 4-1) are once again left to pick up the pieces after another devastating loss – this one likely to knock them out of BCS bowl consideration and the chance to win their third consecutive outright conference title.
“Our guys will get back to work when the time is right,” said Tressel, whose team has a bye next weekend. “This a good group. This year’s not over.”
Fittingly, Ohio State freshman quarterback Terrelle Pryor, a Pennsylvania native who shunned the Nittany Lions to attend OSU, had a heavy hand in the outcome.
Though Pryor accounted for the majority of the Buckeyes’ offense on the night, it was his fourth-quarter fumble that led to the winning TD for Penn State.
Turning up-field to pick up a first down, Pryor had the ball punched out of his grasp, with Penn State recovering at the OSU 38 and scoring minutes later on a quarterback sneak from the 1 to go up 10-6.
“I thought I was scoring a touchdown, then he punched it out,” Pryor said. “It was the worst feeling in my life.”
“He tried to slide outside and I think a helmet hit the ball,” Tressel said. “It was unfortunate.”
The Nittany Lions added a field goal late, the Buckeyes taking over at their own 20 with a little over a minute to play and seeing their comeback hopes dashed on a deep ball from Pryor that was intercepted in the Penn State end zone. 
Pryor stood bent at the waist with his head down at midfield as the Nittany Lions celebrated.
With Penn State intent on taking away OSU’s bruising running back Beanie Wells, it left the Buckeyes’ fate in the hands and arm of Pryor, who threw the ball relatively well (16-of-25 for 226 yards and one interception), but wasn’t the threat on the ground that he has been since taking over for Todd Boeckman — 6 yards on nine carries.
Wells, who had 11 yards on 10 attempts in the opening half, finished with a season-low 55 yards on 22 attempts.
“Penn State did a nice job of moving and attacking the line of scrimmage,” Tressel said. “We didn’t run the ball nearly as well as we needed to.
“I thought Terrelle did some good things. He was under some duress. I think he competed. He wants to do anything he can do for this football team.”
Working against the top two defenses in the conference, the team’s offenses enjoyed little success in an opening half that ended with both kicking field goals on their final possessions to head to the break tied at 3.
Big pass plays led to both scores, Penn State completing a 49-yard strike to Graham Zug to set up a 31-yard field goal from Kevin Kelly, while a 33-yard jump-ball pass from Pryor to Brian Robiskie on OSU’s ensuing possession led to a 41-yard field goal from Aaron Pettrey that tied it as time expired.
After stopping Penn State on its opening drive of the second half, Ohio State marched 76 yards to take the lead on another field goal from Pettrey, this one from 36 yards.
The Nittany Lions answered the drive but not the field goal, Kelly hooking a 45-yard attempt seconds into the fourth quarter.
Oddly enough, that’s when things began turning in Penn State’s direction, starting with Pryor’s fumble.
Against what is considered to be one of the most balanced offensive attacks in the country, the Buckeyes were up to the task, allowing just one TD on night, that one with assistance from Ohio State’s offense.
OSU limited Penn State quarterback Daryll Clark, a Youngstown native, to 121 yards (12-of-20) through the air, knocking him out the game late. Running back Evan Royster, who came in averaging a whopping 7.7 yards per carry, gained 77 on 19 carries (4.1 average).

THUMBS UP

OSU’s defense

Held what was considered one of the most balanced offensive attacks in the nation to 13 points, seven of them came after the OSU offense turned the ball over in its own territory. The Buckeye defense rose to the occasion, even if the offense didn’t.

THUMBS DOWN

Ohio State coach Jim Tressel

They once said no one could prepare their team for a big game like the Buckeyes’ sweater-vested head man. That no longer rings true. Tressel hasn’t had his team sufficiently ready for OSU’s last four big-time matchups — all losses.

TURNING POINT

Leading 6-3 after a missed Penn State field goal seconds into the final quarter, Ohio State had the opportunity to eat some clock and possibly put the game out of reach with a touchdown. Instead, quarterback Terrelle Pryor fumbled inside OSU territory, leading to a game-winning TD from the Nittany Lions.

THE PRYOR WATCH

Taking a quick look at freshman quarterback Terrelle Pryor’s season at Ohio State.
SATURDAY’S OUTING: Pryor accounted for much of the Buckeyes’ offense, throwing for 226 of OSU’s 287 total yards. But it was his lost fumble in the fourth quarter that led to Penn State’s game-winning score.
SEASON PASSING: 75-of-115 (65.2 percent) for 763 yards, six touchdowns and three interceptions.
SEASON RUSHING: 97 rushes for 417 yards and six touchdowns.

— Chris Assenheimer

Penn State 13, Ohio State 6

Penn State    0    3    0    10    —    13
Ohio State    0    3    3    0    —    6
Second Quarter

PSU—FG Kelly 31, 1:33.
OSU—FG Pettrey 41, :00.
Third Quarter

OSU—FG Pettrey 36, 3:19.
Fourth Quarter

PSU—Devlin 1 run (Kelly kick), 6:25.
PSU—FG Kelly 35, 1:07.
A—105,711.

                      PSU    OSU
First downs    18    14
Rushes-yards    37-160    31-61
Passing    121    226
Comp-Att-Int    12-20-0    16-28-1
Return Yards    12    0
Punts-Avg.    4-43.5    5-38.6
Fumbles-Lost    0-0    1-1
Penalties-Yards    0-0    4-48
Time of Possession    31:26    28:34

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING—Penn St., Royster 19-77, Clark 8-39, Green 3-23, Williams 3-17, Devlin 3-3, Lawlor 1-1. Ohio St., C.Wells 22-55, Pryor 9-6.
PASSING—Penn St., Clark 12-20-0-121. Ohio St., Pryor 16-25-1-226, Team 0-3-0-0.
RECEIVING—Penn St., Royster 3-20, Williams 3-13, Butler 2-11, Zug 1-49, Brackett 1-18, Shuler 1-6, Norwood 1-4. Ohio St., Sanzenbacher 6-82, Robiskie 4-56, Small 2-37, Saine 1-20, Hartline 1-15, C.Wells 1-13, M.Wells 1-3.

 

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